Stuck in Limbo
by Advocaat
Summary: A response to Boogum's truth or dare challenge over at Promptbending. The gaang decide to play a little game.


This is a response to **Boogum**'s dare on Promptbending, the hip new Avatar fanfiction forum.

The Dare: Write a friendship scene involving your favorite 'team'. (LOK vs AtLA)

It is with great pleasure that I present to you:

**Stuck in Limbo**

A Gaang Appreciation Fic

ooO0Ooo

"Feast your eyes, everyone, because I'm about to show you some _real_ bending," Sokka declared, stretching his back and sides.

"My eyes are on a permanent diet," Toph said smartly.

"Okay, fine. Feast your eyes–_and feet_–because I'm about to show you all that Sokka is the man with the moves and the fans. Oh yeah!"

"Start us off then, _Master_ Sokka," Suki said with an amused smirk.

Sokka grinned confidently and approached the parallel bar. He flexed a few times for show, and then bent backwards, shuffling underneath. "Tada!" he called, striking a pose on the other side.

"Impressive," Aang called with an indulgent smile.

"Yeah, except that the bar is nearly as tall as he is," Katara added, and the two of them sniggered.

"Just you wait! We'll see who's laughing when I'm the only one still standing at the end."

Aang was the next to go. "Learn from the real master, Sokka," he said as he simply walked right under, not having to bend at all.

"Hey, no fair!" Sokka pouted.

They all took turns passing under the bar, except for Toph, who couldn't see it suspended in the air. She sat on the sidelines, participating in her own way–by making snide comments and betting on who would lose first. "I would say Zuko, since he's the tallest and all, but he's pretty flexible, so... Sokka."

"Excuse me!" Sokka said, offended. "There's no way I'm losing to Zuko. Besides, he's not _that_ flexible."

Zuko raised his good eyebrow at the younger teen. He then proceeded to bend backward into a flawless bridge and kick his legs up into a full, aerial split.

Sokka stared at him. "Dude, that's just wrong."

Suki took the liberty of lowering the bar for the next round. Once again they all managed to pass under without incident and the bar was lowered further. The next round was a little more challenging. Everyone made it, but Katara and Sokka both had to expend a bit more effort than the other three.

"I'm not used to bending backward like this," Katara said with a laugh as she performed her fourth pass.

"You have to tuck in your hips more," Suki informed her, following easily.

"Like this?" she asked, bending back again.

"Yeah... just like that," Aang sighed dreamily, his cheeks flushing slightly. Toph smacked him upside the head.

The bar was lowered again. Aang and Zuko made it through easily, but Suki, Sokka and Katara all struggled a considerable amount.

"Ngh! I can do this!" Sokka grunted as he squeezed under the bar.

"Having trouble?" Toph asked sweetly.

Zuko smirked. "Nobody will fault you if want to quit now."

Sokka whirled around and stuck his finger in the prince's face. "Look, bub. You may have freakish Ty Lee stretchy powers, but my pride as a man won't lose to you!" he declared with fire in his eyes. "Now come on! You and me, let's go!" He lowered the bar a full four inches and looked back at Zuko smugly.

"This isn't going to end well," Katara remarked dryly, crossing her arms over her chest. Suki nodded in agreement.

"Go Sokka! Go Zuko!" Aang cheered.

Zuko approached the bar and spread his legs before bending his knees and leaning backward. His lips turned up as he ducked quickly underneath. "Your turn," he called back to the blue clad boy.

Sokka walked up to the bar and tilted his head side to side, cracking his neck.

"You can do it, Sokka!" Suki called encouragingly.

"You're gonna fall on your rear like a fool!" Toph called less encouragingly. Sokka shot her a useless glare.

Stepping forward so that the bar was just a few inches away, Sokka mimicked Zuko and spread his legs, leaning backward as far as he could. A crack sounded from the region of his spine, but Sokka ignore it and shuffled forward, just barely managing to pass underneath by the skin of his teeth. As soon as he was fully on the other side, he grinned widely and said, "Ha! I did it!" He tried to straighten up then, and his eyes widened. "Uh oh," he squeaked.

"Sokka, what's wrong?" Katara asked concernedly.

"I can't get up."

"What do you mean you can't get up?" Suki said, raising her eyebrows.

Sokka's face scrunched up with exertion and he made a noise like _nnnngk,_ then he relaxed and began panting. "I'm stuck."

Toph's face broke into a grin and she snickered. "Oh man, sucks to be you!"

"Do you want some help?" Aang offered.

"No, no. I've got this. Just give me a sec." His face scrunched up again and he stumbled around a bit before giving up again and resuming his panting.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" Zuko asked skeptically, leaning over him.

"I don't think you're qualified to give him the kind of help he needs," Toph remarked.

Sokka glowered at both of them.

Katara stepped forward, reaching out a hand. "Listen Sokka, I really think you need some–"

"I don't need any help!" he exclaimed, swinging his arm up to point at her. However, the shift in weight proved to be too much, and toppled backward, landing in a heap on the sand. "...ow."

"Called it," Toph announced merrily.

Sokka groaned.

"It's okay, Sokka. I still think you're manly," Aang assured him, patting his shoulder.

"Just you wait!" the Water Tribe teen declared, raising an arm and pointing toward the sky. "I'll show you all in the next game."

"What is the next game, anyway?" Aang asked, turning to Katara. "This one was my pick, so..."

Katara pulled a sheet of rolled up parchment out of the waist of her sarong and checked the contents. Her lips pulled up into a wicked grin. "Suki's make-up competition."

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuu–"

oO0Oo

* * *

There you have it, a silly peak into the off-screen shenanigans of Team Avatar. Hope you all enjoyed it!


End file.
